It is well-known that in many and varied situations, articles of furniture must necessarily be moved from one location to another. Such movement particularly is essential in connection with furniture equipment such as hospital beds and the like which must be periodically moved as different conditions demand.
Heretofore, considerable damage has been caused during such relocating movement by the collision of such equipment with walls, doors and other objects present in the area. This problem has become quite severe in view of the burgeoning costs of hospital equipment including hospital beds.
Attempts to overcome the problems by the provision of means extending from the forward or leading end of furniture such as hospital beds to prevent contact between the moving bed and other objects have resulted in the presentation of other objectionable difficulties. For example, such elongate extensions increased the overall length of the bed and, being rigid, prevented the bed from being accomodated in elevators or from being manipulatable in corridors. As a consequence, such extension means have not been widely utilized and there remains the continuing problem of damage to expensive hospital beds and other equipment caused by collisions during the course of relocating.